Apparatus for subdividing blocks of ice



April 22, '1941;' 1 ULINE 2,239,473

A APPARATUS FOR SUBDIVIDING BLOCKS 0F IcE Filed Deo. 1, 193s s sheets-sneu 1 April 22, 1941. M. J. uLlNE APPARATUS FOR SUBDIVIDING BLOCKS 0F ICE Filed Dec. l, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 SUL-www1:

Filed Dec. 1, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 OF ICE Migiel J. Uline, Washington, D. C., assigner to The' RFC Mortgage Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Maryland Application December 1, 193s, serial No. 243,453

(ci. s2- 112) 6 Claims.

My invention relates to machines for cutting a block of ice into cubes, more particularly those wherein a flow of fluid through thin tubes furnishes heat to the tubes causing them to pass through a block of ice pressing against it. By this invention 1 am able to divide evenly and accurately a block of ice along planes parallel to one of its sides and then along planes perpendicular to the planes just mentioned and to cach other. Y

Past efforts towards securing ice cubes of unin form dimensions from a block of ice, where the weight of the ice block itself generated the pressure necessary for division through' melting contact, have encountered the difficulty of an uneven division non-parallel to the sides of the original ice cake. The heated edges used `for separation have exhibited in the past an `uneven transfer of heat units. Sometimes the construction was such that some corner or edge of the block of ice would catch on gratings formed of the hea-ted severing tubes. Also temporary exible uid connections from the severing box to a source of heating fluid have tended to give `trouble by breaking or leaking.

An object of my invention is to overcome the above difficulties.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for severing a block of ice into cubes by first causing theice in the primary cut to slide of its own weight downward past heated edges to produce a. plurality of severed layers of ice, then to tilt the containing member approximately 90 degrees and cause these severed layers lying one above the other to go downward of their own weight in the secondary cut past heated edges in the two planes perpendicular to the sides of the original block` and perpendicular to -the planes dividing the layers.

A further object of my invention is to provide atripping means for causing the mass of ice to be turned approximately 90 degrees when the primary severing has been completed, such tripping means having an element constantly urged operation, such pressure being applied above the colder side of the primary severing edges, thereby tending to equalize the speed of `severing `between each end of the primary severing tubes.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a means of insuring that the mass of ice to be severed wi-ll slide downward with a slight pressure at one side against a smooth guiding surface, both in the primary severing along a Cil single set of parallel planes and in the final severing along two sets of parallel planes perpendicular to each other and to the original cutting planes.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a means of furnishing a continuous supply of fluid for furnishing heat units to the cutting edges Without the necessity of temporary or pliable connections to the movable ice containing means. i

A still further object of my invention is to provide a means for readily changing the downward pressing member, which isused to press against the ice block, from` operating position to an inoperative position and vmeans for retaining it in inoperative position so that a fresh block of ice may be placed in position for severing,

without the necessity of manually holding the downward pressing member out of the Way.

With these and other objects in View, which may be incident to my improvements and which may appearrfrom my disclosure thereof, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions vand arrangement, withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my inventionmore clearly understood I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect Without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions', which for the purpose of explanation have been made the subject of illustration.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation view of my invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation View of my inven* tion.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing in dotv and dash lines the direction to which the ice contasting arm of the tripping bar may be swung.

Figure 4`is aside elevation view broken away to expose the icesevering box and further broken i away in the upper and left hand portions to eX- pose section of Figure 2, with dot and dash lines indicating the overturned position of the ice severing box.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lline 5-5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6*-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows. l

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 8--8 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows Figure 9 is a perspective view of my fluid circulation system showing the directions of flow, such View being partially broken away and in section to show the blocking of certain passages.

Referring to the Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, I utilize a supporting frame I formed of legs 2, 2', 3 and 3 having journal bearings shown generally as 4 and 4' placed at its apex. Fitted in each of these bearings 4 and 4 are trunnions 5 and 5', respectively. These trunnions are bolted to an ice severing box designated generally as 6, at points suiciently below and to the rear of the center of gravity possessed by severing box 6 so that this severing box is constantly urged, both when empty and when filled with ice, toward the overturned position shown by the dot dash lines of Figure 4.

Referring to Figures 1, 3 and 4, the ice severing box 6 comprises a back wall 1, sidewalls 8 and 8', a bottom 9, to'p'grating indicated generally as I and a front grating indicatedgenerally as II. These gratings I0 and II are secured, preferably by bolting, to the sidewalls 8 and 8' by clamps I2, The front grating II is also secured to the bottom 9 by clamps I2. The back wall 1 has a central upwardly disposed extension I3 terminating in an outwardly bent portion I3'.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, lugs I4 and I 4 are attached to sidewalls 8 and 8', respectively, and extend out from these sidewalls to Contact legs 2 and 3 upon sui'lcient forward tilting of the severing box 6. Contact position is shown by the dot dash lines of Figure 4, Another pair of lugs I and I5', attached to sidewalls 8 and 8', respectively, extend out from these sidewalls to Contact legs 2 and 3 upon sufficient tilting back of the severing box, as shown in the upright position of Figure 1. Y

Resisting the forward tilting force of the severing box 5 to hold it in its upright position isa latch I6 pivotally mounted on a vpin I1, attached to the rear leg 3'. The latch I6 has formed at its opposite end a counter-balance I8. Latching .i

arm extending approximately at right angles to the direction of sliding in the socket 2|. Arm 25 is adapted to apply an even pressure to the top side of a cake of ice on the end adjacent the side wall 8'. Hooks 26 and 21 attached respectively to the sliding rod 22 and the socket 2I are urged relatively toward one another by a spring 28, thus causing the arm 25 to exert a downward pressure upon, and follow the top surface of the ice cake. Riding in a vertical slot 29 of the socket 2I is a latch trip member 39 joined to the sliding rod 22 and extending out therefrom to the plane of pivoting of the latch I6. When the ice has been completely severed along the primary lines of cutting and the sliding rod 22 with its arm 25 has been urged downward in the socket 2|, the trip member 30 will force downward the latching point I9 of the latch I6, thus releasing the dog 2i) and allowing the severing box 6 to swing into the position indicated by the dot dash lines of Figure 4.

I' trip member 30 as the Vsliding bar 22 twists to allow the arm 25 to be swung to its out-of-theway position 25'.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 9, the piping system comprises in part an inlet pipe 3I carrying water or other heating fluid from a pressure source, not shown, connected through an elbow 32 into an axis pipe 33,V The axis pipe 33 passes through the packing ring 34 which .is free to rotate around it. The trunnion 5 has loosely threaded into' it, the axis pipe 33, leaving the trunnion 5 free to rotate. A sidewall pipe 35, placed in oblique relationship to the bottom 9 and back 1, joins the trunnion 5 through a multiple elbow 36 with the top grating I9 and the front grating II.

On the outlet side, a multiple elbow 36' connects the gratings I0 and II with a sidewall pipe the trunnion 5', a packing ring 34', an axis pipe 33', an elbow 32', a vertical exit pipe 3I', an elbow 31, and a floor pipe 38. The piping connections on the inlet side are made in the same way as those on the outlet side indicated by a corresponding primed numeral.

Referring to Figure 9, the system of severing tubes embodied in the top grating IU and the front grating II comprises three supply mains 39, 40 and 4I and three exhaust mains 42, 43, and 44 between which three sets of parellel severing tubes 45, 46, and 41 carry the heatingiluid.

Supply main 39 threads into multiple'elbow 36 and is blocked on the other end by cap 48. Supply m-ain 40 structurally connects multiple elbows 36 and 36', but direct fluid passageway between main v4Il and elbow 36' is blocked by plug 49. Supply main 4I structurally connects multiple elbow 36 through elbow 50 with exhaust main 43, but direct uid passageway between main 4I and elbow 50 is blocked by plug 5I.

Exhaust main 42 threads into multiple elbow 36' and is blocked at the other end by cap 52. Exhaust main 43, threaded into elbow 50, is connected through an elbow 53 with exhaust main 44 which is connected with multiple elbow 36.

Severing tubes 45 afford a passageway for heating liquid between the mains 39 and 42. severing tubes 46 afford a passageway for heating liquid between mains 40 and '43. Severing tubes 41 aiord a passageway for heating liquid between mains 4I and 44.

Referring to Figure 5, the supply main 39 clamped to the sidewall 8 by the clamp I2 is sui-tably joined as by soldering to the tubes 45 to Aform a passageway for heating liquid. Also, the supply main 39 is shown welded or soldered to the end 54 of the clamp I2. The tubes 45 have rounded ends 55, as best shown in Figure 6, adapted to fit within a round hole in the supply main 39.

Referring to Figure 6, bracing'strips 56 are positioned below the tubes 45. These bracing strips 56 are suitably joined, as by soldering, at their upper edges with the lower edges of tubes 45,

thereby enabling the tubes 45 to carry the weight of an entire block of ice without bending.

Referring to Figure 7, the tube 41 is joined at its rounded end 51 with the supply main 4 I. 'I'he 4tube 41 has an angularly disposed portion 58-adjacent the rounded end 51, enablingA tlietube `4l tofbe offset and lie adjacent to and 4outside .or l.the outside edges ofthe tube `45. In the preferred form of my invention there riscontact between the -edges of tubes 46-and 41,.,enabling thefront grating I I formed by tubes 46 and 41'towithstand better the weight oflayers office-'in the severing box 5 after it has been tripped into its overturned position. Due to the fact of this braced construction in the front grating H, my-'prefer-recifV form does not-include bracing strips, such as strips 56.

Referring to Figure 8; the trunnion 5', suitably joined at'its base 59 to sidewall l8", ca-rries'aA bearing sleeve 60 journaled in journalbearing 4'. An extension 6| of the trunnion `5' ladjacent its base 59 carries a passagewaytZ which vmakes a ninety degree, connection with an axial passageway 53,. Thebase passageway '62 receives the threaded sidewall pipe .35.

The axial passageway (i3 hasa threaded end extending back for agreater distance from the opening than` is usual with tightly tting. screw thread joints. The threaded end, 54 receives, without binding, a proportionately long, threaded end 6.5. of the axial pipe .33'.` The exhaust pipe 3i is connected tothe axial pipe-.33 through elbow 32 ashas already beenexplained.

Screwed on to an axialf projection A66 of the trunnion .5', and surroundinga portion of the .axla] pipe33 is the packing-,ring 34'. Between these parts. 33.', 34' .and 66 is held packing material 61 to-prevent any'leaking out of heating-fluid from the pipingsystem.

`'I'he trunnion assembly just described for L'the outlet side of the severing box .5f is duplicated by corresponding parts` on theinlet side.- The same provision for a rotatable connection is embodied in the trurinion-assemblyl formed 'with trunnion 5;.

The method lof operating my ice-cubing .machinefis to institute a flow of water or otherzheating medium through the pipingsystem .as lshown inFigure 9 by the arrows- This is done by -connecting a source o1 supply-'to the inlet vconnecting pipe 5 and disposing or the exhaust heating medium through the outletiloor pipe i4. The heating medium may be hot water, steam, water at room; temperature, or other readilyy available fluids for delivering heat units :to the severing tubes.

In .operating my invention, the severing box 6 is` placed in the upright'lposition shown in Figure 1 and the `latch IB isallowedk to engage the dog 20. The sliding rod 22 is at the same time lifted so that the trip member 30is raised above tripping position to the greatesthei'gfhtpermitted by the slot 29. While the sliding rod 22 is at its highest position it is twisted in the direction of the lateral slot 3| by the leverage ofV arm 25 until arm 25 assumes the position indicated by 25. The trip memberv 3D` moves intothe far end ofthe slot 3l being held there by friction or alternativelyl by a slightly lowered' position off the farV end of .lateral slot 3|. l

While the arm 25 is thus heldwithout manual attention andwhile the trip member 30 is Vthus block; by the ,tension of spring. 2,8..

heldA up outv of position for tripping thel latch l5,

the block of ice to 4be cut into cubes is then placed upon the grating Ill'. The'block of ice is preferably of dimensions approximating lthe inside dimensions of' the severing box 5. After the block of ice is placed on the grating I 0, the arm 25 is swungl back overthe ice from the dot dash line position of Figure 3 to the "solid line position shown in Figure 3. The arm 'Z5-is therefore urged At :the start of the cutting process it will be seen that the ice block is supported bythe grating I0.

which forms a supporting plane inclined down-` wardly .toward the back wall l and its backing plate :extension I3. The .extension lil` carries a portion of t-he weight of the lice block and its smooth walls serve to guide the downward progress of the ice block as it issevered.

Due to the absorption of heat in the melting process incident to the primary severance of the ice block by the cutting tubes 45 ofthe top grating In, the temperature of the severing tubes 45 will progressively diminishlfrom the inlet ends toward the outlet ends. To overcome this .tendency towards `uneven rates of cutting the `pressure oi the arm 25 urged by the spring 28 is placed downward upon the end of the block resting on the colder ends of the cutting tubes 45. Therefore. dueto the more eillcient transmission of heat` from the colder ends of the cutting tubes 45 caused by the firmer Contact, I am able to secure an` even rate of severance at both ends ofV the ice block along the planes ofcutting.

When the ice block has been completely severed into slabs `corresponding to the planes of .division of the tubes 45v it is apparentr that the arm 25 will be permitted to pass downward t0` the full distance necessary to enable the tripping member 3.0 .to release the latch I6. At this point the center of gravity forward of its axiswill cause the severing box 6 to tilt forwardly to the overturned position shown by the dot4 dashlines .of Figure 4, In this new position the mass of ice will be forced against the tubes 46 .and also after .a short cutting process against the tubes 41.

-In order to insure that the slabs of ice are guided properlywduring the secondary cut, the stop l5 is so positioned that the smoothfbot'tom wall 9 does. not quiteattain a ltrue vertical position. On the contrary, there is Ia slight but constant pressure against the bottom wall 9 which guides the slabs of ice during the secondary cutting process. As each slab of ice completes its 'passage'. through. the grid formed by .tubes 4B yand lll,v small cubes are formed which f-all into anywsuitable container placed below .the severing :box 6..

During both` primary and secondary cutting processes, thesmooth sidewalls 8 and 8 act upon a mass of ice tting snugly between them, to assist in keeping the ice mass. level as between the inlet. and outlet sides. This guiding force `augments. that of the rarm 25, during the primary out.

It will be seen from the above description of my invention and its mode of operation that I have produced a machine operable to divide a cake of ice vertically intoliiat slabs of uniform dimensions. `This is largely insured by the guiding action of the smooth back wall sloping downward toward lthe front of the `severing box.

Also rcontributingtothis result is an even speed ofsevering over the area Adeln'edrby the primary severing tubes. The ends of these tubes nearest the exhaust mains and which are therefore cooled to a lower temperature by the melting of the ice have a `greater pressure of ice? against them due to the foil-owing arm.

Because-of the llarge inner cross-section of the mains as compared to the tubes, each tube' receives practically the same flow of heating liquid through it. Hence, the rate of cuttingisI approximately the same from one end of each `tube to the other'andalso as between the several pri'- mary severing tubes, causing ,the block of ice to retain its original angular relationship with the severing box as it pas-ses through the top of such box. 1

Also, when the ice block ts snugly between the two side walls,l proper alignment with the severing edgesis favored. `'Ihis aids yalignment; of .the secondary cutting operation as well as the primary cutting operation. v 7

During the secondary severing operation, Ithe ice slabs -slide downward with sulcient pressure against the upturne-d bottom of .the severing box to main-tain their straight paththrough the gridiron formed by the secondary severing tubes. g As was already mentioned, the sidewalls assist in guiding .the secondary out. If the ic-e mass fitted snug-ly against `the side walls during'the .primary out, it would continue )to do so vduring the secondary cut; it would continue to do so during the secondary cut, because the portions melted away during the primary cut only affected the dimensions of the ice mass from front side to back wall of the box. Furthermore, any twisting or side sway of the ice in the secondary severing would have less effect on the even and uniform appearance of the ice cubes in the cutting sequence employed .than wouldvbethe case if the mass werel `cut ,into long square rods and then out into cubes. In thenlatter named sequence, .the ice rods could fall 'without guiding action from the side walls into position for oblique secondary cutting.

By having con-duits through the trunnions for carrying the heating iluid to yand from the severing box, I am able to dispense with temporary pliable. connections for this purpose. Finally, by having separate sets of supply and exhaust mains for the primary and the secondary severing tubes, and by connecting the prim-ary severing tubes in shunt flow with the secondary severing tubes, my construction allows a faster and more uniform cut, than 4,with the primary and secondarysevering tubes in series.

While, for purposes of illustration, I have shown one for-m of construction orv my ice cubing machine, it is-obvious that various kchanges may be made in the construction withoutdeparting from .the spirit of my invention.

For the above reasons I wish it understood that it is my intent to be only limited bythe prior art and the scope of the appended claims- 1. An ice cubing machine of the cleaving-bymelting type, comprising in primary position two flat parallel side walls, a flat rear wall, a at bottom, said rear wall and said bottom having means joining said side walls and positioned at right angles to the side walls and to each other, primary cleaving vedges carried by the side walls xedly above and parallel to the bottom, secondary cleaving edges carried b-y the side walls xedly in front of and parallel to the rear wall, the side walls and rear wall and bottom and cleaving edges forming a 'tilt carriage, an auxiliary back guide carried bythe tilt carriage, said back guide being positioned above the rear wall and substantially in the same plane as the rear wall whereby a block of ice may rest against the back guide while being supported upon the 'primary cleaving edges, a supporting frame for the tilt carriage, said tilt carriage being rotatively supported bythe supporting frame so that the side walls remain perpendicular to the axis lof rotation,A means carried by the tiltcarriage and the supporting frame to releasably hold the tilt carriage in Vthe labove described primary `position wherein'the rear wall isv predominately vertical and wherein the rear wall andthe bottom form a dihedral angle the two planes of which converge downwardly-toward the apex, said axis of rotation of the tilt carriage being so positioned that the tilt carriage is normally overbalanced and urged into secondary position, said secondary position being that position wherein thebottom is predominately vertical and the rear wall is predominately horizontal, and means to prevent the tilt carriage from rotating past saidv secondary position upon release of said holding means.

2. An ice cubing machine ofthe cleaving-bymelting type comprising in primary position two ilat parallel side walls, a flatrear wall, a atbottom, said rear. wall and Vsaid bottom extending between said side walls and positionedat right angles to the side walls and to each other, primary cleaving edges spaced fixedly above and parallel to the bottom, Ysecondary cleaving edges spaced iixedly in front of and parallel to the rearwalLthe side walls and rear wall and bottom and c leavingedges forming a tilt carriage, an` auxiliary back guide carried by the tilt carriage, saidback guide being positioned above the rear wall and substantially in the same plane as the rearrwall, whereby a block of ice may rest against the back guide while being supported upon the primaryl cleavingedges, a supporting frame lfor the tilt carriage, said tilt carriage being rotatively supported by the lsupporting frame so that the side Walls are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, means carried by the ti1t carriage and the supportingframe to releasably hold the tilt carriage in the'above described primary position wherein the rear wall is predominately vertical and wherein the rear wall and the bottom form a dihedralangle the two planes of which converge downwardly toward the apex, means to hold the tilt carriage in secondary position, said secondary position being that position wherein the bottom is predominatelyvertical and the rear wall is predominatelyhorizontal.

3. In an ice cubing machine of thecleavingby-meltng type, la tilt carriage having cleaving edges spaced to mark out two planes substantially perpendicular to one another and thereby forming a primary grating and a secondary grating, means for heating said gratings, said tilt carriage including means adapted to guide a cake of ice through said primary grating when said primary grating is substantially horizontal, said tilt carriage also including receiving means adapted to receive the ice mass after the cake of ice has been cleaved by the `primary grating, said receiving means also adapted to guide the ice mass through the secondary rgrating when the secondary gr-ating is substantially horizontal, pivot means having an axis parallel to both of said gratings and joined to the tilt carriage, a supporting frame carrying said pivotrneans for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, Areleasable engaging means carried by the tilt carriage andv the supporting frame and positioned away from the axis of the pivot means, said engaging means being releasable to allow tilting movement of the tilt carriage on said supporting frame, said engaging means being so positioned'relative to one another that their engagement takes place when the tilt carriage is in position to present the primary grating in substantially horizontal position, an extension piece adapted to extend'above the'primary grating, said vextension piece havinig a lateral contacting portion extending therefrom,

means carried by the tilt carriage to guide the extension piece in a path perpendicular to the plane oi the primary grating and out of `line with the primary grating, said contacting piece being adapted to extend over the primary grating and to contact and transmit downward pressure from said extension piece downward against a cake of ice resting on the primary grating, means to urge the extension piece downward, and tripping means carried by the extension piece to release said engaging means by exerting downward pressure upon said engaging means, said releasing means being positioned to release the engaging means upon lowering of said lateral contacting portion against the primary grating, whereby the tilt carriage is free to tilt.

4. In an ice cubing machine of the cleavingby-melting type, a tilt carriage having cleaving edges spaced to mark out two planes substantially perpendicular to one another and thereby forming a primary grating and a secondary grating, means for heating said gratings, said tilt carriage including means adapted to guide a cake of ice through said primary grating when said primary grating is substantially horizontal, said tilt carriage also including receiving means adapted to receive the ice mass after the cake of ice has been cleaved by the primary grating, said receiving means being also adapted to guide the ice mass through the secondary grating when the secondary grating is substantially horizontal, pivot means having an axis parallel to both of said gratings and joined to the tilt carriage, a supporting frame carrying said pivot means for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said pivot means being so placed that the tilt carriage and its ice contents will tend to turn on said pivot means to that position wherein the tilt carriage has its secondary grating substantially horizontal, releasable engaging means carried by the tilt carriage and the supporting frame and positioned away from the axis of the pivot means, said engaging means being releasable to allow tilting movement of the tilt carriage on said supporting iframe, said engaging means being so positioned relative to one another that their engagement takes place when the tilt carriage is in position to present the primary grating in substantially horizontal position, a rod having a lateral branch at one end, a tubular guide carried by the tilt. carriage to guide said rod in a path perpendicular to the plane of the primary grating and out of line with the primary grating, said branch being adapted to extend over the primary grating and transmit downward pressure from said rod downward against a cake of ice resting on the primary grating, a spring so tensioned between said rod and the tilt carriage as to urge the rod downward, a trigger arm carried by the lower portion of said rod and adapted to release said engaging means by exerting downward pressure on a part of said engaging means, said trigger arm being positioned to release the engaging means upon lowering of said lateral branch against the primary grating, whereby the tilt carriage is free to tilt, means carried by said rod and the tubular guide adapted to engage each other when said rod is raised to non-releasing position and turned to hold said branch away from the primary grating, whereby the tilt carriage will remain locked in position and said lateral branch will be held out of the way to facilitatevplacement of a large block of ice on the primary grating.

5. An ice cubing machine of [the cleaving-bymelting type comprising in primary position two rlat parallel side walls, a flat rear wall, a flat bottom, said rear Wall and said bottom having means joining said side walls and positioned at right angles to the side walls and to each other, primary cleaving edges carried by the side walls xedly above and parallel to the bottom, secondary cleaving edges carried by the side walls lixedly in front of and parallel to the rear Wall, the side walls and rear wall and bottom, and cleaving edges forming a tilt carriage, each of said cleaving edges having a conduit along its length adapted to carry a flow of heating fluid, an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe to `pass heating fluid through said channels, a supporting frame, said tilt carriage being rotatively supported by the supporting frame so that the side walls are perpendicular to the axis of rotation, an extension piece adapted to extend above the primary cleaving edges, said extension piece having xed thereto a lateral contacting portion extending therefrom, guiding means carried by the tilt carriage adapted to receive and guide the extension piece in a path perpendicular to the primary cleaving edges and out of line with the primary cleaving edges, said contacting piece being adapted to extend over the primary cleaving edges and to contact and transmit downward pressure from said extension piece downward against a cake of ice resting on the primary cleaving edges, said contacting piece also being swingable away from said contacting position means to urge the extension piece downward, means carried by the tilt carriage and the supporting frame to releasably hold the tilt carriage in said primary position wherein the rear wall is predominately vertical and wherein the rear wall `and the bottom form a dihedral angle the two planes of which converge downwardly toward the apex, means carried by the extension piece to release said holding means, said axis of rotation of the tilt carriage being so positioned that the tilt carriage is normally overbalanced and urged into secondary position, said secondary position being that position wherein the bottom is predominately vertical and the rear wall is predominately horizontal, and means to prevent the tilt carriage from rotating past the secondary position upon release of said holding means.

6. In a machine having heated edges for simultaneously cutting through a block of ice, a plurality of tubes, said tubes being disposed to approximate a substantially horizontal plane surface and forming a grating to receive and support a block of ice for a cleaving operation, each of said tubes presenting edges of narrow width across the path of the ice blocks when melting through said grating, said tubes having inlet and outlet connections providing a flow of heating fluid through said tubes, means for providing a constant downward pressure on top of a block of ice to be placed on said grating, said downward pressure being exerted principally on that portion of the ice block nearest the outlet ends of the tubes, whereby the colder, outlet ends of the tubes will have rmer contact with the ice to speed the rate of melting there and tend to equalize such rate with the rate of melting at the warmer inlet ends of the tubes.

MIGIEL J. ULlNE. 

